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Ozone

May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

CAS number: 10028–15–6

NIOSH REL: 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) CEILING

Current OSHA PEL: 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) TWA, 0.3 ppm (0.6 mg/m3) STEL

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) CEILING

Description of substance: Colorless to blue gas with a very pungent odor.

LEL: . . Nonflammable Gas

Original (SCP) IDLH: 10 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by AIHA [1966] that pulmonary edema developed in welders who had a severe acute exposure to an estimated 9 ppm ozone plus other air pollutants [Kleinfeld et al. 1957]. Patty [1963] reported that 15 to 20 ppm is lethal to small animals within 2 hours [Witheridge and Yaglou 1937]. AIHA [1966] also reported that on the basis of animal data, exposure at 50 ppm for 60 minutes will probably be fatal to humans [King 1963].

Existing short-term exposure guidelines: National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):

1-hour EEGL: 1 ppm

24-hour EEGL: 0.1 ppm

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal concentration data:

Species Reference LC50

(ppm)

LCLo

(ppm)

Time Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)

Derived value
Mouse

Human

Rabbit

Mouse

Rat

G. pig

Rat

Clamann & Bancroft 1957

Deichmann & Gerarde 1969

Mittler et al. 1956

Mittler et al. 1956

Mittler et al. 1956

Mittler et al. 1957

Stokinger 1957

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12.6

50

36

21

21.8

24.8

4.8

3 hr

30 min

3 hr

3 hr

3 hr

3 hr

4 hr

23 ppm (1.8)

50 ppm (1.0)

65 ppm (1.8)

38 ppm (1.8)

39 ppm (1.8)

45 ppm (1.8)

10 ppm (2.0)

2.3 ppm

5.0 ppm

6.5 ppm

3.8 ppm

3.9 ppm

4.5 ppm

1.0 ppm

Other animal data: It has been reported that 15 to 20 ppm is lethal to small animals within 2 hours [Witheridge and Yaglou 1937].

Human data: Pulmonary edema developed in welders who had a severe acute exposure to an estimated 9 ppm ozone plus other air pollutants [Kleinfeld et al. 1957]. It has been reported that on the basis of animal data, exposure at 50 ppm for 60 minutes will probably be fatal to humans [King 1963].

Revised IDLH: 5 ppm

Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for ozone is 5 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Deichmann and Gerarde 1969; Kleinfeld et al. 1957].

REFERENCES:

1. AIHA [1966]. Ozone. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 27:196-198.

2. Clamann HG, Bancroft RW [1957]. Physiological effects of ozone. Fed Proc 16:22 [Abstract].

3. Deichmann WB, Gerarde HW [1969]. Ozone. In: Toxicity of drugs and chemicals. New York, NY: Academic Press, Inc., pp. 446-448.

4. King ME [1963]. Toxicity of ozone. V. Factors affecting acute toxicity. Ind Med Surg 32:93-94.

5. Kleinfeld M, Giel C, Tabershaw IR [1957]. Health hazards associated with inert-gas-shielded metal arc welding. AMA Arch Ind Health 15(1):27-31.

6. Mittler S, Hedrick D, King M, Gaynor A [1956]. Toxicity of ozone. I. Acute toxicity. Ind Med Surg 25:301-306.

7. Mittler S, Hedrick D, Phillips L [1957]. Toxicity of ozone. II. Effect of oxygen and carbon dioxide upon acute toxicity. Ind Med Surg 26:63-66.

8. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 99-106.

9. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 917.

10. Stokinger HE [1957]. Evaluation of the hazards of ozone and oxides of nitrogen. Arch Ind Health 15:181-190.

11. Witheridge WN, Yaglou CP [1937]. Ozone in ventilation: its possibilities and limitations. Trans Am Soc Heat Vent Eng 45(1132):509-522.

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